Jetko - Potatoes - Continue with You
by vanna6yaoiheaven
Summary: Requested follow-up story to by Jetko Fic Potatoes - where the story continues for Jet and Zuko. Due to a number of requests, we see Jet and Zuko travel together, fight together, among other things. Basically letting them connect all over again in the best ways possible. Also, adding more characters.
1. Chapter 1

Hey there readers, so, um, every now and then I go and read through my previous posted stories and chapters, and of course the reviews, and it worked its magic because what has followed below is the power of it all, I am writing more! Plus I am really ashamed for having fallen so effing short on actually writing and posting… for the last…. *cough* few years *cough*

As such, something I have been curious about is the roles reversed in my Jetko fic Potatoes, which I seriously could have come up with a better name for. So for those who are familiar with said Fic, I give you:

*Drum roll up to announcing spoiler*

Jet topping Zuko by popular demand and the fact that I want to write it! Yay!

And, I don't know, this might be a 2 part / 3 part special, because I sure as hell can't include everything I want to in just a single one-shot unless I make it super long, and I don't want to do that to you guys; so chapters it is.

 **Warning:** Jet and Zuko do a lot of kissing and a lot more than kissing – this is boyXboy, Yaoi, shonen-ai, boy-Love

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters, they're just my guilty pleasure.

And so, you gloriously thirsty Jetko Shippers – Man the deck and load the cannons, this ship is setting sail!

(Enjoy XD)

Needless to say, the first time they made love probably wasn't under the best circumstances. Zuko had just been drugged and attacked, Jet had rather abusively reacted in his reunion and was wounded, and the two were high on pain and other things. It actually shocked Zuko how willingly he had taken to intercourse not long after the attack. Any sane person would have been traumatised and fended off any such attempts, even from loved ones. But Zuko wasn't normal, he guessed, right now he was all levels of fucked up. And Jet…

Zuko had woken to a tight sensation around his wrist; Jet had actually gone about tying him to the makeshift bed-post with some intricate knot work and rope. Unfortunately, it took the scarred teen a moment for his brain to catch up and assert that he wasn't in any real danger, considering the night's events. What added to his cotton-brained panic was the considerable lack of Jet in the bed; and he prayed to the spirits for all of a moment that he hadn't just been drugged to the point where he _hallucinated_ Jet.

These feared notions were quickly laid to rest when Zuko turned over and came face to face with Jet. He was kneeling on the floor and leaning on the bed, his chin resting on folded arms, and he had a rather soft smile just visible on his lips.

Upon having Zuko squint at him in the dull light, Jet smirked. "Afternoon, bright eyes," He cooed. Zuko's initial, sleep-clouded instinct was to move away from the sudden face, but it was Jets face. "What're you doing on the floor?" Zuko asked, trying his hand at small talk. Jet's smirk only grew into a lopsided grin and he swayed his nude hips. "You did me pretty hard… So I'm not above admitting that butt-sex aches after the first time… I needed to stretch," He winced briefly and stopped moving his hips, and settled for breathing into his arms which were folded on the bed.

Zuko's eyes slid helplessly down Jets curved back and his mind short circuited when his brain tried to do re-runs of the night. He didn't need to remember the bad crap, and he clung desperately to the heated shapes and feelings of the hot dark night where he had touched and tasted Jet so much, his lips still tingled at the thought. However, he did remember Jets face as it contorted while Zuko was pushing inside of him. Perhaps he should have done a lot more to please Jet, considering what he was going through both emotionally and in his head, and of course his injury. Zuko was considering apologising, but that would sound a bit weird.

` _Hey, sorry for shoving my penis so deep in your ass that you can't even move, but I had a great time, so thanks_ ,`

Zuko almost melted from shame at the thought. Not that he was ashamed about what he did with Jet, but now he was growing flush with the sudden memory of sucking his nipple, and the fevered gasping sound Jet would make when he eventually _did_ feel good.

Because Zuko's mind had wandered, Jet noticed him staring and blushing. ` _There's the bashful, stubborn bastard I know_ ,` He thought. "If you're thinking of going for another round..." Jet was eyeing Zukos wrist, appealingly bound to the bed. Zuko covered his face, feeling it grow hot. "That… you… stop talking," He breathed desperately.

Jet said he was going to _do him harder_ , and based on how Jet was tentatively avoiding sitting on his ass, it probably meant that Zuko wouldn't be able to walk for two days or more. The very thought made his legs weak, and he wasn't sure if he was excited or purely dreading it. His pride probably had something to do with the way he turned away from Jet, his ear still visible and burning red with embarrassment.

The thoughts whizzing through Zuko's head didn't go unnoticed by Jet.

The tanned teen didn't want to scare his fire-bender off before he even got a chance to top him now, did he? "Hey, don't you go getting all bashful on me," He hummed, shuffling so that he could whisper in Zuko's ear, panting a little bit and making the scarred teen skin all the more hot. His arm snaked across the sheets and up Zuko's bare side, and then it hooked around his chin so that he brought the burning red face to his own.

It looked like the fire-bender could have steam coming out of his ears, and he radiated heat. Jet almost hungrily bit at Zuko's lips and then suddenly he winced and backed off, dropping his head onto his arm and laughing at a small bout of pain which sent a twinge down his lower back. "Fucking hell, I can't even get hard right now," He breathed, not sure if he liked the pain. Zuko didn't turn any less red.

In a desperate bid to change the conversation, Zuko's mind snapped to Jets wound. "Wait, how have you been keeping with your injury…?" He asked, suddenly hoping that their activities hadn't had a strenuous effect on it. Jet sat up slowly and ran his fingers gently over the stained bandage; "I swapped out the bandages already," He said. Zuko thoughtlessly reached out and touched it as well, and for a moment he still wasn't sure if he _was_ touching Jet. Sure, he could feel the fabric of the bandage and the slight body heat of Jet… he even felt dirt off the older teen's skin on his fingertips –but somewhere deep down he still somehow doubted Jets presence.

He had already mentally prepared himself for the possibility that he would never see Jet again because of his mission to find the Avatar, it was almost like this was all a dream; but it wasn't a dream. Jet was here and he was breathing and bleeding and smiling and talking and being very real indeed. Zuko was sure that some part of him maybe even wanted to cry from relief that never seeing Jet again didn't have to happen. He didn't cry, of course, because his pride wouldn't fucking dream of it. Instead, he decided that the best way through this awkward situation was to get to fucking work, and that started with rather stubbornly releasing himself from the bed. "Why the hell did you tie me up?" He grumbled, his fingers struggling to loosen a knot. Jet rested his head atop his hand and watched the pale teens shoulders flex as he tried, and failed, to free himself. "What can I say, you have a habit of disappearing… but it's kind of exciting seeing you tied up…" He almost purred, leaning through his pain to leave butterfly kisses all over Zuko's exposed back and shoulder.

This made it hard for Zuko to concentrate, as each little thrill from the kiss left his fingers feeling weak. "Yeah, well don't do it again…" He scorned, muttering small, harmless obscenities. Although, to himself and on a more personal note, he admitted that he wouldn't be leaving Jet any time soon, and he wasn't going to be travelling alone. He grew frustrated when he struggled to release one knot too close to his wrist, and it was almost impossible with one hand, demanding that Jet assist. The tanned teen quirked his eyebrows and slinked onto the bed. "Fine by me, but don't hold me responsible for any other actions I might take in the process," He whispered, slowly and gently straddling Zuko.

As to why the fire-bender couldn't stop his face from burning, Zuko didn't know. He wanted so badly not to be utterly flustered, but with just hearing Jets voice, his lips tingled and he got chills up and down his back. Jet seemed to want to catch up on the many days where they had been apart, and he spent more time straddling and rubbing his hands firmly into Zuko's muscles –avoiding bruised areas –that he took a long time just to slide his hands to Zuko's bound wrist. Jet still needed to confirm that he had the fire-bender firmly in his grasp, that every inch was touched and bitten and sucked and claimed.

The only thing that stopped him from grinding and delving into another intense session of sex was the niggling pain in his lower back and ass, which happened to be affecting his boner. He wanted to be at his best for when he next made love to Zuko, but the passionate kissing and groping was good enough. Hell, it was better than good. The pale teen was flushing pink all the way down to his collar bone, and Jets heart hammered at the sounds Zuko breathed – small gasps and grunts, almost a whimper once or twice as his body instinctively rose up to press against Jets.

Jet wanted to bite Zuko's lips until they throbbed, and kiss them until they pulsed red. However, he was being tender because Zuko's face was still showing signs of how he was beaten. Jet knew he didn't take that into consideration when he rather brutally smashed their faces together that night in a desperate attempt to taste him. So even as Jet wanted to be a little rough right now, only because he felt his own impatience whining and begging –he tenderly licked Zuko's lips, sucking them gently. He planted brief, fluttering pecks along Zuko's bruised cheeks and at the corners of his mouth.

Even when the rope was free, they didn't cease in their actions, and both of the pale teens arms wrapped around Jets neck. Jet noticed that Zuko frowned a lot when kissing, like he was concentrating on memorizing every last moment. Jet also knew the fire-bender was a little chaotic and awkward with his kissing, but the passion and the heat behind them completely made up for any lack of experience. It made Jet chuckle into his kisses; and smiling and kissing at the same time was kind of hard.

"What are you laughing at?" Zumo mumbled, a small frown still marring his features. Jet cocked his head to the side, licking his lips. "You need to brush up on your technique," He teased, and before Zuko could have any time to suddenly abstain their session out of humiliation; Jet pressed their foreheads together and chuckled. "…Don't worry, I'm going to make sure you're up to scratch," He smirked.

The pale teen had remained red in appearance, and pushed a palm gently into Jets face to create space, because if Zuko got any hotter he would pass out. He also had the little problem of his crotch, bulging in response to the hum of Jets voice. He needed to take care of it and they needed to clean themselves if they could and Zuko wanted Jets wound in better shape, because he was planning on travelling as soon as possible. Yes, he desperately wanted to stay curled up in here with Jet for a very long time, and do all sorts of things, but with the fate of the world currently hanging in the balance, Zuko put the priority of the Avatar above his own desires.

Not that he ultimately prioritised the Avatar, but if Aang didn't learn fire bending in time, Fire Lord Ozai would in due course come to rule the whole world, and no one would be safe, least of all Zuko and anyone he loved.

The two sat back to back, sharing body heat, as they did inventory on what little belongings they had. Their garments were dirty, but such was the fate of clothes when you travelled across the whole bloody world with a limited wardrobe and only stumbled across a river every other day. Jet's clothes were the worst, because of the blood currently marring two layers of them. "It's too obvious," Zuko mumbled, and turned his head to talk over his shoulder to Jet. "Do you know how to stitch it up?" He asked. Jet almost snorted. "You don't?" He questioned, and Zuko could practically imagine that smirk. The scarred teen grumbled in clear embarrassment. "My Uncle… had more experience…" He muttered, not outright admitting his lack of ability. Jet reached back and Zuko handed him the damaged cloth. "…Yeah, well, I don't have anything like a needle and thread… so it's going to have to stay obvious," Jet contemplated maybe travelling without a top.

Zuko batted that idea way in an instant. "If a torn and bloody top is too obvious, then you walking around half naked with bloodied bandages will be, too. Just take one of mine," He said this quickly, feeling his face heat up and cursing its redness. Why did he have to be so fucking bashful? This was practical, they were both guys, and Zuko had done way more to Jet than offer him a damn top.

The fire-bender didn't wait for Jet to chuckle out anything like a teasing response, and twisted into his clothes as quickly as possible. Once dressed, Zuko snatched up a map he had and spread it out on the floor. It was tiny and tattered to the point where everything was faded, save a few fresh dotted lines of ink where Zuko had marked the trail of Avatar sightings. He wasn't sure where he himself was just now, but assumed it wasn't far from where he had settled in the tree. He couldn't quite make out his location, though. "How far are we from…?" He trailed off.

From where; the place he had been attacked, and nearly taken…

Zuko was kneeling on the floor, and Jet turned to sit right behind him –rigidly at first, but he settled into a comfortable position and sidled up close until his crotch was pressing into Zuko's backside. His arms came protectively around the pale teen and his hands settled atop Zukos. "As far away from those bastards as possible," He almost spat venom, and the atmosphere grew heavy. However, Zuko knew he couldn't dwell on that day, too much had happened, and it wasn't something he needed to focus on. So he turned his own hands until he clasped Jets' firmly; fingers intertwined. They sat there like that for a moment, in silence with their bodies and hands pressed together firmly. It was a confirmation –they were both right he right now, and those bastards couldn't have done a thing about it, they couldn't have stopped this moment from happening even if they had an army –Jet and Zuko would have come together by one force or another and been alright.

Jet let out a long sigh and rested his head on Zuko's shoulder. His breath was delightfully ticklish against the pale teen's ear and neck. He still held Zukos hand and used it to point to an area of the map. "Here," He said, almost in a whisper. They had travelled pretty far, then. Zuko did have a number of questions about that night; how Jet had found him, how many of those people Jet had killed, and just how the hell Jet had managed to travel so far in his condition. However, maybe those were questions for another time, when the wound of their trials and tribulations wasn't so raw and easily aggravated. The two had plotted a few various routes to a nearby town –all of them were open to the possibility of having to completely change route at a moment's notice.

"You know my intentions are to find the Avatar. He needs my help, I'm the only one who can give it to him, to help end this war." Zuko stated, having just tied his sword sheath to his back. He wanted to be clear about his intentions. Jet was handing Zuko his broad-swords. "Then those are my intentions, too." He said, one eyebrow cocked and a smirk pulling at one side of his lips. The scarred teen hesitated in taking them. "What about… what you've been doing to the fire-nation camps, will they still be able to continue without you? It's been making a difference, it's been making it harder for them to keep power over the people here..." He said this reluctantly, but he wanted to be sure of what Jet thought, and what Jet wanted to do. Because he had been making a difference, Jet and whoever he was working with had to be the people who had been causing the havoc recently. It was actually working and the fire-nation presence was wavering.

Jet's smirk stayed firm. "That's sweet, thinking they're all helpless turtle-ducklings without me, but they'll be fine. And I ain't letting you out of my sight." He said. Zuko felt a warmth begin to flush through his chest, and he grasped the swords by their handles and swung them together and then into their scabbard. Before they reached the door, Jet insisted on a kiss for the road. Zuko wasn't going to decline, but he did want to say one thing. "When we're out there… we should be careful. About this…" He gestured to the way Jet had his arms firmly on Zuko's hips, pressing their crotches together and having their faces inches apart. It almost hurt his eyes trying to focus on Jets face being so close, which is why, he supposed, he closed his eyes. Jet grinned. "I can't make any promises, but for our safety I guess it's something I can suffer. But I want you to stay in my line of sight, you got that?" He asked.

After a moment, Zuko gave a curt nod and Jet brushed their lips together for all of a minute before they departed.

They left the hut in silence, moving stealthily through the trees at a general pace. Zuko would often indicate to Jet and ask if they needed to slow down, but the tanned teen shook his head and urged them onwards, regardless of how sore his ass and lower back might be. He couldn't jeopardise their safety because of butt pains, and as much as he wasn't above admitting that it hurt because of a good pounding he received, he still had pride.

Their stealth was called for, because not even ten minutes into their trek, they encountered a band of earth nation soldiers. You couldn't be too careful with either army, because they were equally as suspicious of anyone. The town they had mapped to was almost two days away on foot and over a river. The river wasn't too much trouble to cross; being more wide and shallow with a steady flow. It was still deep enough that they have to swim part of it and then they immediately had to change Jets dressing on his injury.

They manoeuvred around distant camp fires and rustling in the bushes and occasionally tried their luck with jumping from tree to tree in the dark. It was safer to travel in the dark when you weren't alone, and much faster when you were quiet and unseen. It was also easier to steal. As dawn broke through the dense forest, the two settled for ascending high into the tee-line, off the beaten path, but not before Jet resourcefully scrounged some stale bread, a small bottle of alcohol, and a handful of peas and beans from an unsuspecting band-wagon. Up high, the leaves were thick and the duo had climbed almost to the top canopy, coming to rest in a handy crook big enough for the two of them to settle.

Jet revealed the small bottle of alcohol, but Zuko wasn't terribly impressed. "They didn't have any fresh water…?" He asked; as they were both running on less than two mouthfuls each in their water-bags. The tanned teen shrugged, but had knowingly gone for the alcohol instead of the fresh water barrels, they would have been too big to steal. He emptied the beans and peas from his front pocket, his cocky smile fading a bit when he realised that blood was seeping through the bandage again and smearing the food. "This is starting to fucking piss me off," He grumbled, balancing his weapons in a nest of branches. He whipped of the top Zuko had loaned him and grimly assessed the bandage. His wound wasn't utterly deep, and it only seemed to excessively bleed after bouts of intense movement. Zuko squinted in the darkening light. "Maybe we should stitch it up," Zuko said, and then remembered that neither of them had a needle to spare, and nothing to fashion a needle from.

"Stitches would pull and rip anyway… plus it's too late for stitching now, it won't close properly…" Jet speculated, dabbing almost blindly at his injury. Zuko could feel that the two were so tired they would long be asleep before finding anything medical nearby, and they had no more clean bandages. "We should cauterize the wound, then, to limit infection," He said. Jet snorted. "We're up in the trees, and any smoke from a camp fire would tell anyone where we-…" He trailed off when he glanced at Zuko's eyes as a particle-ridden beam of sun light cast across part of his face.

Golden like fire.

Fire.

Fire-bender.

He almost forgot about that, and he stared for a moment more. Zuko began to feel uncomfortable, his hands fidgeting. This subject seemed to still be an open wound, too. Zuko picked up his swords again and began to climb down the tree. "…There's a road nearby, I'm sure someone in passing will have something useful," He said, however Zuko didn't even get to grab the first branch. Jet was quick to seize his arm. "No, I trust you," He said, resolute.

The pale teen hesitated. Was Jet sure? If Zuko suddenly lit fire in the palm of his hand… well, Jet could be a little up-and-down with how he felt about fire benders. The hateful words and brutal fight they had in Ba Sing Se was still horribly present in Zuko's mind, as was Jets face the first night he found out that Zuko –or Lee as he was then –was actually a fire bender. However, the confirmation and trust on the tanned teens face right now made Zuko's heart skip a beat. He settled back into a seated position and quietly unsheathed one of his swords. Jet was removing the bandage. "Don't have anything smaller…?" He asked. It was a good sign that he was making an effort to joke; his smile tugging at the corner of his lip.

The injury was rather long and somewhat bruised along the edges. Zuko snapped a short, thick branch for Jet to put in his mouth. "So you don't break your teeth, bite this." He said. Jet was going to perform some bravado about having a high pain tolerance, but kept this to himself. "You're lookin' more nervous than I am," He chuckled, biting down on the stick. Zuko took the small bottle of alcohol and popped the lid off, drenching the injury. Jet's jaw clenched and he hummed out a strained groan, staring Zuko in the eyes as if to ask ` _couldn't you have given a little warning?!_ `. Zuko gently dabbed the remaining alcohol up and hovered his hand under his broad-sword. He didn't make a flame as such; he merely heated his palm until the sword began to glow red-hot. It took under a minute, and then he somewhat straddled Jet, who was leaning against the main tree trunk. His hot hands pressed the wound together and the scorching blade pressed down on top of it. The skin burned and Jet seized up and threw his head back against the tree a little too hard.

Zuko made quick work of it as best he could, and once the bleeding had stopped, he splashed the alcohol over it again. This time Jet let out a strained howl and nearly head-butted Zuko right out of the tree. A moment later, Jet felt the burning, stinging sensation dissipate and, confused, he opened his bleary eyes to find Zuko pressing his finger tips to the searing scar. The heat was leaving his skin, and most of the pain was going with it. He panted, the stick falling from his mouth. "What…?" He gasped, spitting out scraps of tree-bark he had unconsciously chewed from the stick. Zuko swiftly emptied what little of his water he had from his pouch onto the top he had leant Jet. Applying it carefully around the new scar, his gaze flickered from his hands to Jets eyes and back down again, trying to think of a way to explain it. "Fire can be… hard to control, and there's no un-doing the damage it's done…but," He trailed off because he didn't think this was a good enough start to his explanation.

"My Uncle didn't like causing pain. He taught me that even though there isn't fixing what has been burned, enduring the pain of it isn't necessary." Zuko never really did this often; he'd never found a need to, and he had almost forgotten how. Jet admired the way Zuko's air changed when he talked about his uncle. That man sounded like a power to be reckoned with. "I guess… I owe him some thanks for teaching you that, then…" Jet said. Zuko pressed the wet cloth to Jets new scar a few more times before removing it and having a good look. It wasn't going to be an ugly scar, but it wasn't going to be pretty, either.

Jet wearily examined it. "I dunno', does it look cool?" He asked, turning his hip so he could get a better angle on it. It was a little tight and tender, but at least the burning was gone. Zuko relaxed a little, and then realised that he was sitting on Jets crotch, and that it was quite damn comfortable. But the wound would need to breathe, and as he shuffled to retreat, Jet placed his hands on Zuko's shoulders. His palms were sweaty and tree-bark remnants crumbled from his hands, but he ran them down Zuko's shoulders and then down the length of his arm until they came to rest around his wrists.

Again, the pale teen shuddered pleasantly at the meaningful contact, because he wasn't used to it quite yet.

` _If I had stayed … I would be very used to it by now…_ ` His thoughts grumbled; disappointed in himself with how he had clearly wasted days upon days out in the wilderness by himself tracking the Avatar when he could have been with Jet, being touched. Jet squandered little time in pulling Zuko in for a kiss, but the pale teen actually resisted, pressing his hands on a broad chest. "How can you just be ready to go straight into that sort of thing, you just had a wound _cauterized_ , take it easy," He said, bewildered and being a flustered turtle-duck as usual.

Jet released Zuko's wrists and tangled his hands through the long dark mop which draped slightly in front of Zuko's eyes. "I guess I can't touch you enough," He mumbled. Zuko's mouth went dry and he looked away, his speech muffled by Jets palm. "…Stop… when you say things like that…" He almost whispered, his throat was too dry. Jet let out a quiet laugh; he would have laughed loudly and heartily were it not for the fact that they wanted to keep their whereabouts hidden. "Look at you; taking me in bed but you can't even handle an intimate moment if it's someone doing it to you." He said.

Zuko frowned, frustrated with himself. "Well I-!" He almost shouted, but Jet plastered a hand firmly over his mouth. "Yeesh, keep it down will ya'? How about putting that mouth to good use," He hummed, pulling them together. Zuko wiped his mouth from the crumbs of dirt that still lingered on his face. "Fine, but if we fall out of this fucking tree…" He warned, a little conflicted with his temper and his hormones. Jet just found it almost adorable. Here was Zuko, squirming pleasantly on his lap, and his back was comfortable… but no, it really wasn't a smart idea to try anything more than a kiss, because it was day-light now and anything could be seen or heard.

Jet nodded. "Deal," He said with a smile, and tugged gently at Zuko's head until it came down to meet his. Their lips tingled on contact and Zuko still found that it took his breath away, even when he was prepared. The kiss itself was affectionate and rather slow; the two were tired but they weren't going to pass this moment up. Jet released an appreciative hum every now and then, softly caressing Zuko's face and tangling his fingers into the long dark mop. Zuko couldn't help the small gasps as he took small breaths between kissing, his hands still pressed to Jets chest. Zuko's eyes were heavy and he felt how sloppy he was being and broke it off; his pride not wanting to end it on a messy note.

Their breathless panting was warm between them, but their actions had grown sluggish and Zuko couldn't feel any power in his legs to move off Jets lap; because it was still so damn comfortable. Jet hugged him and the two rested their heads on each other's shoulders. Jet was facing the sun, but it pestered him, so he turned his head and nuzzled into the crook of Zuko's neck and shoulder. This sent bubbly little chills all over the pale teen's body –borderline ticklish –but he made no effort to move away.

"Hey Zuko," Jet mumbled, and it still sounded weird to both of them, the way he used the pale teens real name..

"Hn?" Zuko hummed, unable to form a response as sleep took him.

"I really want to try fucking you in a tree…" Jet said. He felt Zukos thighs tighten either side of his own, the pale teens shoulders tensing for all of a moment. When nothing was said, Jet half expected to be punched out of the tree, but he had one half lidded eye open and monitoring how Zuko's ear was turning pink.

"…Go to sleep…" Zuko grumbled.

Jet grinned. ` _He didn't say no,_ ` He thought.

"And stop fucking smiling," Zuko grunted, finding the strength to shuffle into a more comfortable position.

*****************:D*****************

More is coming, don't hold your breath though or you'll die because my inner writer is a tortoise and uploading is also a tortoise but it's a zombie tortoise so it moves much, much slower.


	2. Chapter 2 - Moving forward

Hey there Readers, I'm bumbling along with this fic. My writing powers peak during the night sometime around 1 and 3 in the morning, which is great because I work night shifts but risky cause I'm basically writing erotica to some degree, haha.

But I say it all the time, re-reading all the glorious reviews for my original fic do stoke my writing flames. I'm so hyped that you guys thought it was good enough, and that you encouraged me. This is for all you guys who supported this story, and for all those who are yet to stumble upon it, and for those hard-core fans who are yet to see Jet do some…. Some things… yes. And I don't know, I guess this is sort of a long one.

On with the SHOW!

Warning: This is boy love. Two guys, Yaoi, Shonen-ai. Serious smut alert.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the world, they just be my guilty pleasure.

For now, please enjoy!

Falling asleep in a tree is not as comfortable as one might think. Zuko had woken first; the sun was in his eyes but the light was quickly dragged below the treelines which made up the horizon. It was nightfall – time to get moving.

He felt sweaty and knew they would need to bathe –their swift crossing at the river seemed to make the condition of their clothes worse, which meant that they would need to procure some new ones.

Zuko felt stiff when he tried to move and it took him a moment to realise it wasn't just his own aching muscles keeping him still – Jet was clinging on in his sleep. Zuko grunted at his numb legs and wriggled subtly so his legs dropped down – the blood flowing back to them was almost paralyzing and he let out a strained guttural mumble, unintentionally gripping at Jets biceps.

Jet was lured awake by the rather enticing sound. He focused on Zuko whose lips were pressed into a thin line. He was also controlling his breathing and rocking gently upon Jets crotch. "It's never too early, huh?" Jet mumbled, a grin spread across his face. Zuko glanced up, a small frown marring his features. ` _What? Of course we've got to move soon, it's dark enough to…_ ` He then stopped moving and felt a hard bulk beneath Jet's clothing. "That… is…?" Zuko's heart buzzed strangely. Jet snorted. "Well you're also-," He lifted the front of Zuko's tunic to indicate the bulge.

Zuko felt the fluster rise to his features and couldn't stop it. He carefully forced his tunic back down and pinched the bridge of his nose, regaining his composure.

"Yeesh; is that all you think about? This has nothing to do with you. My _legs_ are _numb_ and I just woke up…" He sounded tired and was irritated by how red his face was turning. Jet chuckled and raised a hand to run it through Zuko's hair. "Hmm… _you are_ all I think about." He said smoothly. Zuko knew his heart was pounding and it skipped a beat when Jet leant in for a morning kiss. The pale teen fought against both urges –the one which couldn't handle the heat and wanted to retreat, and the other urge which would have him hungrily leaning in and taking part in this delightful morning activity. However… "If you start with that…. I told you– we don't do this out here in the open." Zuko had hesitantly and gently covered Jets mouth with his hand. He so wanted to kiss, but it could lead to something _distracting_. Not to mention, he actually wanted to be somewhere respectable and less dangerous to get frisky.

Jet noticeably slumped. "Are you serious? We're not in the _open_ , we climbed high enough that nesting birds can't even see us." The disappointment was there, but so was hope that Zuko's resolve could be whittled down by –perhaps –a little smooth talking and gentle groping. However, the pale teen was stubborn. Jet was clearly starting to frown and pushed forward but he knew the battle was lost before it even begun. Zuko leant back and pried himself away. Jet let the squirming teen go. It was really nice to see him flustered and panicking and Jet really wanted to take advantage of it right in that moment, to the point where his hands followed Zuko unconsciously and he had to consciously stop. ` _No need to force it, he's not running off anywhere anytime soon…_ ` Jet reminded himself. ` _Don't want to go scaring him off…_ ` He mentally berated and settled for staring at the pale teen in the fading light. ` _Spirits… I can't get enough of him_ …`

Zuko touched his own lips; he was silently mourning the kiss that never happened. ` _Stop complaining, you set the damn rules yourself…. Plus… there's time for that later_ …` He sternly told himself, and he came down from his flustered high. If all he could do was think about not being able to kiss Jet, he would go mad, so when they found a safe and secluded spot, Zuko would take it upon himself to put his mind at ease. Though the thought of that nearly had him squirming with embarrassment and he let out a groan under his breath. He really knew how to torture himself.

After a morning ritual of releasing ones urges and stretching, the two spied from their branch through the foliage for any sign of passing people, but they really had gone quite high up and it was getting darker by the minute; soon they couldn't see the ground at all. "Anyone could have camped nearby during the day. Are you up for sticking to the trees?" Zuko asked. Jet scoffed. "Pah! If you don't recall, I lived in the forest for _years_. You insult me. Keep up if you can!" Jet grinned and with several bounds he was already a shadow in the moon light. Zuko blinked at the fading shape and felt a challenging smile pull at his lips.

*x*

The trees were close and had robust branches and the moon was bright enough in the top canopy, making it easier to move as the two raced along. It turned into a show-off-show-down. Occasionally, they would make eye contact if they were close enough before leaping off into the dark –that unspoken contest spurring them onwards. Zuko noticeably fell behind, but then again he did have the disadvantage of being more of an ocean-goer. Jet would stay somewhere in the centre height of the foliage where the branches were safe and strong and easy to access, whereas Zuko often found himself teetering and wobbling far more often than he should be. Although, he was distracted as he constantly scanned for Jet. Zuko saw him use his hook swords to catch and hurl himself onwards. His weapons were an extension of him, and he was more than freakishly good at manipulating them. The show of skills and strength made the fire-nation prince feel a little heated.

Zuko almost envied how he couldn't use anything on himself to his advantage– the most his broad swords could do might be to slice of a branch or get wedged in one. The hook swords were the only reason Jet was in the lead. ` _The only reason_ ,` Zuko huffed to himself. He kept control over his breathing and paused now and then to listen for Jet; was he still in front, or had Zuko now overtaken him? Curious of the outcome, the pale teen ascended and balanced among the higher branches. He was practically in a shrub compared to the trees around him, which loomed giant and dark.

He had made a mistake in climbing _up_ – as the branches became weak and thin. Before Zuko had travelled much further – SNAP – he was going down. He let out a choked wheeze as he fell – resisting the urge to shout. He didn't fall very far – and it wasn't his flailing arms and legs that saved him. Something strong and soft had him under the armpits and Zuko looked up.

Jet was upside down and smirking. "Hey bright eyes, trying to go for a swim?" Jet hummed and swung slowly to steady them both. Zuko heard him laughing and his pride felt like a cornered animal. "Don't mock me, I was fine," He growled and immediately began to kick his legs to try and reach a nearby branch. Jet held on tighter. "Whoa! Zuko my knees are slipping-!" Jet tried to warn, but the new scar on his ribs pulled tight and Zuko was still swinging, trying to regain some balance and some pride.

The drop was as sudden as the pain in Jets side and the two fell like stones. They hit a few branches on the way down, but they snapped easily on impacting, meaning minimum damage to their bodies. They both let out a yelp as they landed in water. It was deep and chilled.

Zuko broke the surface first; so this is what Jet was talking about when he was falling before. He looked around quickly and saw Jet rise as well, shaking his head and having his brunette hair plaster his face. He ran a hand down his features and then squirted water from his mouth into Zuko's face, ending in a smile.

"Great, OK, it's a little cold, but let's go for a swim." He agreed mockingly with chattering teeth. Zuko glowered. "Like this was intentional." He grumbled and began to swim to the water's edge. Jet laughed and followed him. "I tried to tell you, y'know,"

Zuko stopped swimming and turned to continue glowering. "Well you should have tried harder. Now it's impossible to keep going in these drenched clothes!" He yanked at the sash around his tunic and pulled off his top in one go, throwing it at Jet. There was an echoing slap as his top wrapped around Jets head. He removed the wet material and shook his head again, running a hand through his hair to clear it from his face. He saw Zuko somewhat impatiently pulling off all of his clothes like a child. He was hopping in the shallows towards to embankment and he yanked off his boots –tipping them to spill the water that filled them. Zuko felt a chill run through him from the cold water, but then he realised it was because Jet was staring at his now pale and naked ass in the moon light.

`Don't get fucking flustered…` He scorned himself again and took a practical approach. "What are you waiting for? We've got to get out of our clothes –and we might as well bathe while we're at it." Zuko spoke with a grumble. Jet chuckled and Zuko could hear the chittering teeth from where he stood in the shallows.

"…Good idea…" Jet hummed, and began to undress as he waded into the shallows as well. His body was trembling from the chill and he noticed how Zuko remained unphazed. "W-w-what the h-hell? Aren't you c-cold…?" He found himself asking before he could stop himself.

Zuko looked side-long at him and released a long breath through his nose. A cloud of steam rolled across the water and then into the air. Jet allowed a dry little smirk onto his face. "Oh, I see, so you cheated,"

Zuko let out one sour little chuckle. "When you've endured the cold of the Northern oceans, you learn a little something," He said, maybe a little too bitterly, and started to back-stroke further into the water.

Jet stood in a shallow area of the pool, his body involuntarily jittering and getting worse as he watched Zuko who seemed to be waiting for him. Maybe he didn't need a bath… or maybe he just needed a warm bath. "H-hey… Don't make me go all the way o-over there… come share some of that h-heat will ya?" He tried to sound like he didn't know his teeth were chattering. Zuko cocked his eyebrow and then floated nonchalantly. It was another obvious, unspoken challenge.

Eventually, Jet put up his hands. "Nope, sorry, but this is as far as I go… so how about I scrub your back and you share some of that heat," The tanned teen then held his own torso in a lame attempt to fend off the chill. Zuko took a crippling moment to actually roll his eyes before swimming over. He touched Jets arm and felt how much of the cold he had absorbed. "You fool, you'll catch-" His sentence ended in a grunt when Jet greedily pulled him in for a tight high. "Shit, you're so _warm_ ," He breathed down Zuko's back as he nuzzled into him, even his breath was chilly. Zuko's brain still shot-circuited at intimate and close contact. For a moment, he didn't respond but he quickly settled into the embrace. One of his warm hands snaked up and held the back of Jets neck as the other ran up and down his back slowly and thoroughly –he could feel every muscle buzzing.

Already reaping the benefits, Jet let out a shaky sigh. The pale teen repressed a shiver. He could feel Jets pulse, and his own heart began beating a little erratically. Of course he was excited; he couldn't think of a time when he couldn't be excited about touching Jet. Zuko took a deep breath and let it out on Jets shoulder. Jet could feel that it was warmer than usual, and it almost burned, but in a good way, and it nipped away at the chill. He felt his skin tingle back to life. Zuko let out long, slow, heated breaths along Jets shoulder and up his neck, pausing only for another intake of air. He could feel Jets long fingers creeping down the sides of his thighs and he felt his heart begin to thrum a little faster and Zuko felt his breath hitch for a moment. The pale teen knew he was getting carried away – maybe it was the lack of air he was actually breathing which was clouding his mind so quickly. Maybe the cold was getting to him. ` _I… don't think I care anymore…`_

Zuko was hypnotising himself with deep breaths and tentative touches. He inhaled and exhaled next to Jets ear. In-and-out along his cheek. In-and-out over his mouth. Zuko's eyes were heavy and he felt a flush burn up his neck to his cheeks. Jets mouth opened in response to the hot gasps. Their lips ghosted over one another's and Zuko was the first to make contact. His kiss was no accident and he let out a small sound as he eventually tasted Jet for the first time in what felt like forever. It was desperate. It came from that part of himself that he had been denying so much to. It was that part of him that didn't resist when Jet pulled Zuko's warm thighs up and around his waist. It was that part of Zuko that ran his fingers through Jets hair and pushed their faces closer together.

All he could feel was the contact of their wet lips. Jets were cold to start with and then they warmed and became slick enough for their mouths to glide across one another's. Zuko tilted his head and let out a soft breath. He felt their chests pressing together and their pulses meshing and beating off each other. He became breathless when their tongues licked and rubbed lips.

Steam rose from Zuko's shoulders and soon from the water around them. Jet catered to every movement Zuko pined for; touching his thighs and squeezing his ass cheeks and making Zuko rock his hips. All Zuko could think of was how much he needed Jet to touch him, and how much he wanted to feel those toned muscles resist against every scrape of his extremities. When Jets penis prodded him, however, Zuko felt his heart stop and he let out a shocked murmur. Was this going to be the moment? His whole body seized up and he felt fear and excitement battling inside. Before the trembling set in, his brain kick started again when Jet shuffled and soon his long fingers had grasped both of their cocks. Zuko let out one ragged pant after another as Jet curled his course hands around his length and pumped his hand in desperate jerking motions. Jet grunted and rested his head in the crook of Zuko's neck. "This… this is ok for now…" He said, and Zuko curled his fingers through Jets wet hair. He let out a long, strained hum when Jet squeezed their cocks together and thrust against his skin – the head of Zuko's penis throbbed delightfully and ached and burned each time Jet grazed his finger over the top of it. Jets other hand worked to squeeze Zuko's ass cheek and then grip at his lower back.

Zuko spread his legs wider and felt his groin area stretching and his ass cheeks tighten. He gyrated his hips upwards into the pumping hand. He arched into Jet and tilted his head back gradually as he lulled into the rhythm of rocking his body and dragging his cock down against Jet's own member.

Jet pressed his face harder into Zuko's shoulder and panted against flushed skin. He knew he hit a good spot for Zuko when the fire bender spread his legs further apart and dug his fingers into Jets scalp. The water began to slosh around them and Jet could feel Zuko fucking his hand and rubbing his cock firmly into Jets. "Ah… s-shit…" Jet hissed and grazed his teeth across Zuko's collarbone. The small sounds Zuko would make were starting to drive him wild. Zuko didn't sound delicate. His groans and gasps were deep and reverberated through his toned chest, and he was so damn hot to touch. This was no woman. Jet was grabbing another man and pumping them both to satisfaction and it was tender and thorough.

He dragged his hand to the tips of their cocks and plastered his thumb across the heads, pressing down firmly and squeezing into the slick pre-cum, feeling them both throbbing against his grip. Jet pressed particularly hard into the skin of Zuko's dick because he wanted to hear him cry out.

Zuko did cry out. He almost howled the forest down around them but he caught himself and quickly brought his head back down. He released Jets hair and wrapped both arms around tanned, broad shoulders, muffling his choked cry in Jets neck. It died out into a shaky whimper and he rolled his hips desperately into the rough hand. " _Je-t_ …!" He croaked –it came out broken by ragged huffs as Zuko continued to fuck himself against the other throbbing cock.

At the deep, guttural way his name was said, Jet jerked twice more and ejaculated. His whole body buzzed and burned and tingled and he took his free hand from Zuko's back and grabbed his black hair, pulling a flushed face into view to kiss it. He pressed their lips together hard as his strokes softened out and his own hips twitched erratically. He pumped out the last of the stars behind his eyes. Zuko was gasping breathlessly, and on the second huff, Jet introduced his tongue to the kiss.

Jet could still feel Zuko was hot and hard and suddenly he spun them around and waded a few steps so the pale teen had his back to the embankment. Zuko grunted when his back his the rock-riddled mud, but was otherwise engaged with Jet's hand Jets tongue. The tanned teen grunted in effort and squeezed Zuko hard and he felt when muscled thighs clenched around his waist. The fire bender's mouth was agape in a choked yelp and Jet bit gently at his lips, losing himself in the way Zuko trembled desperately. Jet had his eyes half open and broke off the kiss to hear the others' breath catch and to hear the deep, almost pained groans Zuko was trying frantically not to release.

He witnessed Zuko; eyes closed, mouth agape, frowning desperately as he continued to thrust and press into Jet, each jerky movement hungry and sex-driven. Jet almost imagined thrusting into him in that moment and knew he was growing hard again. Zuko then clenched his jaw and let out a groan from deep in his throat, arching his back. "I'm c-cummi-!" He panted. Jet stopped immediately, and Zuko thrust a few times into a motionless hand. The pale teen inhaled sharply at the pinching and pressing sensation on the head of his penis and covered his own mouth to stop an ungodly yell ripping through him. Jet kissed his neck. "I want… to hear you…." He panted and swiftly moved down to a perked, red nipple and took it in his mouth. He grazed his teeth around it and over it and sucked it firmly and felt every muscle of Zuko's chest. His skin was feverishly red. Zuko's frown deepened and a lusty haze reflected his twitching groin and the way his hips continued to jerk into Jets teasing hand. "Jet…. Don't…" He breathed out a growl in his throat – it was an impatient growl and it was profound and craving.

Jet smirked up at Zuko as he took the nipple between his teeth and flicked it with his tongue once. "I want to taste you…" He said and then grabbed Zuko's toned hips and hefted them to the waters surface. Zukos' shoulders were pressing into the embankment and he look down. His penis was twitching and hot. Jet dipped his head, mouth open, and pressed his tongue into the tip of the fire-benders cock, as he had been doing with his thumb. Jets tongue was considerably hotter and his mouth was slick and rubbed zealously around the dicks throbbing tip. Zuko felt his heart palpitate erratically as Jet closed his mouth around his member and sucked. He felt the heated pressure build at the top of his cock and it burned there as Jet continued to suck and press the bulbous head between his tongue and the roof of his mouth.

Zuko nearly slipped under the water as he thrust upwards – his body was jerking involuntarily and moving on its own and he couldn't breathe enough air in the world – his chest was going to explode. He felt the tingling burn as he fucked into Jets mouth and he was in blissful agony. Jet forces his head down until his nose was brushing Zuko's navel hair and he could feel the balls against his lower lip. He looked up as he did this more, sucking hard each time he drew his head back and lapped the head. "F- _Fuck_ , Jet!" Zuko panted fitfully. On the last time he sucked hard and let Zuko plunge his dick right to the back of his throat, he gagged a little and his tonsils contracted and squeezed.

Zuko's frown changed from concentration to ecstasy. "Je- _Jet_ -t…" Came the strained rumble of the fire-benders voice, punctuated by the thrusting of hips and the splashing of water. Jet saw Zuko's face and he felt the throbbing cock in his mouth ejaculate. He sucked again and again as the pale teen curled in on himself, his fingers digging through Jets hair and his hot gasps and ragged breathing deafening the tanned teen in one ear. Zuko was unconsciously holding Jets head down on his cock, but Jet didn't mind for a few moments as he hummed and swallowed. When Zuko felt Jet swallowing, he opened his eyes and took deeper, slower breaths.

Jet pulled back, dragging his tongue along the twitching penis between his teeth, and ambled up Zuko's heaving body for a kiss, but the fire-bender actually plastered a hand firmly over Jets mouth. "Nnh…Not… not… right… after…" He panted, a light frown still on his face. Jet ducked below the water quickly and took a gulp from the pool, then squirted it out slowly on Zuko's stomach. It tickled delightfully as it pattered against the pale teen's abs then down through his hair. Jet let his jaw hang slack for a moment and came up to kiss Zuko on the mouth again. It was slower, although just as frantic as they hummed and whispered groans. The heated kiss was short, but Jet didn't want to stop as he nibbled down Zuko's neck.

Zuko dug his fingers into Jets back when he felt teeth pinching his skin and then Jet sucking on the tender spot again and again. " _Jet_ …" Zuko croaked, and Jet felt another frenzy coming on. "Y'know... I nearly fuck you on the spot every time you say my name…" He hummed and pinned Zuko to the embankment with his own chest as he continued to leave a determined mark on flush skin.

Zuko dipped below the water, which wasn't so chilled any more. Breathing heavily, the two sank until just their heads were above the water –their chins dipping below the surface, foreheads pressed together.

Jet eyed the love bite mark in the moon light – it was kind of ugly and already bruising. Not his best work. Zuko brought a hand up to delicately touch the area around it and after a few minutes of blissful silence, he asked; "…Jet, how did you find me…?" His voice was recovering from ragged breathing but his question managed to come out quiet and soft. Jet blinked through the droplets of water falling into his eyes but otherwise would have stared endlessly at Zuko. His fire-bender; who was flushed red and trembling from having Jet sucking him off. His expression was gorgeous right now, and Jet almost didn't hear the question. "Hn? I told you, before, I won't leave your side," He said just as quietly.

At this, Zuko was dragged back in time to that farm. When those fire nation soldiers attacked. When Jet still called him `Li`. When Jet saw Zuko for the fire bender he truly was. There was a great amount of conflict now marring Zuko's face – that was a rough time and it was ruining the mood. Jet noticed and added; "Plus, if I ask the right people the right way –it's not hard to find a mysterious grump of your description," He flashed a smile.

Torment immediately put back to rest, Zuko glowered half-heartedly. "Is that so?" He mumbled. Jet turned on the charm and winked. "Yeah. I'd say; he's about this tall, great body, sexy eyes, and he'll stab you if ya' get on his bad side," Jet chuckled when he saw Zuko go through emotions of dismay and embarrassment. ` _He…_ ` Zuko's mind buzzed. ` _I can see it, he would actually say that. He better not have said that…_ ` The fire-bender imagined Jet sauntering up to strangers with a wanted poster of Zuko and Iroh that Azula arranged, and asking any damn drunk if someone of the following description had passed through. But then Zuko had to give Jet his due – of course he wouldn't put Zuko in danger like that. Of course, realising the foolish nature of the situation, Zuko half-heartedly shoved Jet away with a punch.

"Just for future reference… I'm going by the alias Li again, while I continue to search for the Avatar." Zuko said. Jet cocked an eye brow, his smile still playful on his lips. "Well, it'll be just like old times then. Should we nap a sack of potatoes and see if we can make some coin while we're at it?" He asked, starting to swim further away. Zuko waded after him. "I'm not some gimmick,"

Jet snickered. "No. Of course not, Li." He smiled and pointed to himself. "I've got to have a gimmick too, right? How about… Xhao, or..." He barely started to list off names when Zuko choked on water. "No!" He ended up saying a little louder than he intended. It went quiet between then, and Zuko scratched at his head in embarrassment. He desperately didn't want _that_ name. Anything but that. "How about…Po… or something…" He muttered his offering and Jet contemplated it and then shrugged. "Li and Po…. Hmm…it's not the worst." Jet said, now swimming circles around Zuko. The fire-bender had to agree. "Definitely not the worst."

*x*

Their clothes were no-where near dried, and the two took to resting in the cool grass. Jet lay splayed in all his glory, staring at the stars and the moon. Zuko had his mind on other things, though. They had dawdled for a while now – too long. He knew he probably should have waited until they were in the town before doing anything so exhausting, but then again this secluded spot was pretty much perfect. He almost had it in his mind to stick around for longer, but he shook his head and sat up, reaching for the clothes.

Jet cast a side-long glance, and the rolled onto his side and rested his head on his hand. Zuko's back was great to look at. As he moved, even in the light, his muscles cast defined shadows around his shoulders and his lower back. He refrained from staring too heavily at his ass. ` _Careful, don't get excited again…_ ` He told himself. Unfortunately, this thought was feeble and warranted no real will power.

Zuko sat back down with his arms shoved into his boots, and at this unexpected site, Jet snorted and laughed. The fire-bender glowered. "I need to dry them out!" He defended himself and stubbornly kept his hands in the soaked footwear. They started to steam and Jet's laughing died down to a chuckle. "No-no… I mean… just the thought of your boots being the first thing to dry…" He couldn't finish his sentence. Zuko didn't defer his scowl. "So?!"

Jet wiped his eye, this was much funnier than it should be. "The thought… of only the boots being dry, and us high-tailing it out of here in an emergency wearing nothing but shoes; our naked asses carrying our wet clothes," He snorted again an rolled onto his stomach, grinning. Zuko couldn't imagine that being too funny, but knowing Jet, the tanned teen would be laughing his ass off as they fled, should such an incident occur. Zuko pointed a boot at the grinning loon. "Just as long as you remember to call me Li if we're chased," He tried his hand at joining the joke, but it went quiet for too long and Zuko felt his face heating with awkward embarrassment. ` _Why… why am I bad at this? Why did I even try…?!_ ` He berated himself, but noticed Jet had buried his face into his folder arms and his shoulders were shaking. He lifted his head, a giggle rolling into a groan. "Zuko… what the heck?! You have a sense of humour?!"

"Well that's the last time I fucking try then!" The fire-bender just narrowly avoided setting his shoes on fire, and Jet noticed the smoke. "Whoa, I was wondering when that might happen." He mumbled. Zuko waved his arms quickly to remove the boots and rubbed his arms as they smoked. He then picked up Jets trousers threateningly and the freedom-fighter raised his hands in submission. "Whoa there, my apologies, my apologies."

Zuko grunted at his victory and tossed their water bags at Jet. "Make yourself useful and fill those up." He said. Jet shielded himself from the items and kept smiling to himself. It was a great feeling, knowing how amusing it was to wind Zuko up. It really felt like before, with an added bonus of sexy-time of course. But Jet hesitated before filling the water bags. Zuko raised an eye brow as he shuffled his arms subconsciously through Jets trouser legs and heated them up. Jet pursed his lips. "Y'know… maybe we should have filled these _before_ we went and soiled the water…" He mumbled. Zuko burrowed his head into the trousers immediately and sighed a sigh riddled with embarrassment and irritation. "Shit." He breathed. Jet shook his water bag. "I mean, if you don't mind then I don't mind-," He said, and Zuko nearly pulled the trousers over his head. "No, just shut up. Stop talking about _that_! We'll get water in the town," He was practically pleading Jet to stop. So Zuko might get hot under the collar remembering so vividly, but he was ashamed that he really didn't think about filling the water bags first. So much for survival of the horny teens – fuck now, practical matters later.

*x*

Jet shimmied into his trousers, and then into his boots, then he let out a delightful sigh. "Nice and warm…" He nodded with a smile. Zuko has just burrowed his head through his clothes and began tying his sash about his waist. "They're still a bit damp, but since we're planning on replacing them when we get to the town…" He stopped talking and frowned in dismay at how a rip in his clothes had grown. That sewing kit would be really fucking useful right now. But Jet lightly grasped at the top he was wearing. It was Zuko's top. Even though it had been soaked and dried, it still had a hint of his scent on it. No way was Jet going to get rid of it. "Yeah, but I'll survive. How far do we have?"

*x*

It was mid-morning when they spotted signs of life. More paths and roads became evident in the forest and soon they could smell and hear the commotion of people. At first, the two stuck to the outskirts, silently raiding washing lines. They procured long, hooded robes and managed not to look utterly suspicious as they walked into the heart of the town. It was pretty big – a market town. And it looked like they had arrived at a time of festivities. Banners and stalls lined every alley –even the shadier ones. The mix of people surprised Zuko; as he saw Earth Nation Soldiers getting drunk, children playing, and men and women mingling and acting like there wasn't a world changing war raging all around the country and fire nation soldiers ready to invade and attack at any moment.

"These people… they look relaxed. They have it pretty good here," Zuko said quietly; it almost reminded him of Ba Sing Se. All the places he had come across in his travels were greatly diverse; but lately there had been a string of worn out, run-down villages with people struggling to survive. The two teens hung at a corner, planning out what they could see and areas they could use to escape to in an emergency.

Jet smirked at the commotion. "That's people for you. Putting on a show and having a party even when they could get caught with their pants down." Even when Jet said this, there was humour as well as an underlying bitterness. Zuko found himself being wary at that sleeping rage, and decided to change the subject. "The map I have is no use; I'm going to get a new one," The fire-bender eyed the stocked stalls. Jet's smirk turned more playful. "Whatcha' got to trade, Li? Potatoes?" He waggled his eye brows and Zuko stared at him blankly before responding; "I'm not _trading_ anything. You're causing a distraction." He said. Jet was noticeably curious but didn't have time to wonder.

Zuko swiftly swiped a foot out from under him and Jet toppled backwards into baskets of items, rolling over a stall and sending everything flying. The owners were distraught and shouting; demanding payment for the damage. Jet was on his feet, rubbing the back of his aching head he had hit on the way down. "O-ah, sorry, sorry. _I guess I tripped_." His gaze flickered to Zuko, wondering what the hell had gotten into him. He noticed the fire-bender swiping a rolled parchment from the mess and then assisting in helping the owners recover their spilled-but-un-damaged goods. Zuko hunkered next to Jet, who whispered irritably. "You're shit at team work sometimes, you know that?" He hissed. Zuko nodded his head toward an area with large banners of blue and white hanging from the balconies. They had scouted it earlier. "We'll leave through there, get what you can."

Discretely, the two managed to pack four items in total, including a new map. But they didn't get five feet away when the woman at the stall yelled. "Wait –they stole something from me!" At the exclamation and the pointing, all sorts of people turned to stare and everyone immediately honed in on the two mysteriously hooded figures hesitantly hovering, waiting to run. Jet grabbed Zuko's shoulder. "Let's not hang around!" He said to Zuko and they fled. Drunken earth soldiers tried to get in the way, but Jet and Zuko used them as a step ladder – running up their slumped and staggering forms and sailing over their heads with a flip.

Nothing much else stood in their way, but they were being pursued. Jet was the first to clamber the balcony with the banners and dodge onto the roof, running and disappearing out of site. Zuko got onto the balcony and had his foot yanked. He fell behind, but kicked off the pursuer and got his footing, scrambling onto the roof.

Unfortunately, his pursuer was just as agile and was on his tail. They tackled him and the two fell off the roof –laundry lines broke most of their fall. Two others grabbed Zuko when he was on the ground, pinned and struggling to get away. Then the culprit pulled his hood down and there was a silent moment of glaring until the girl with the painted face squinted with recognition. "Hey… I know you…" She mumbled for a moment. Zuko would recognise that damn face paint anywhere, from that stupid island. One of the other girls looked up worryingly. "What, who is he, Suki?"

Suki recoiled but her grip on his wrists tightened, like she was holding a snake. "Zuko, the banished Fire-Nation Prince." She gasped. "What are you doing here?!" She demanded. "Where are your fire nation soldier hiding?!"

Zuko couldn't say he knew the girl personally, but with three painted faces staring down at him, the memories flooded back. Of course this would look bad. Of course _he_ would look bad. "It's not what you think! I'm not like that anymore!" He growled, but one of the girls shoved a fallen sock into his mouth. "Search him!" One girl said, and Suki rummaged briefly before coming across the item. "What's this, a map?" She paused and then glared at Zuko. "You're tracking Aang, aren't you?!" She growled, clenching the map. Zuko tried to shout through the sock. He would have said _"I'm looking for the Avatar to help him, not hunt him down anymore!"_ but it came out a gagged mess. Zuko suddenly froze when Suki whipped a knife out from her fan and held it to his throat. "I'm not making any mistakes with you, Zuko," She said, and then turned to her fellow Kiyoshi Warriors.

"C'mon, we've got to find the other one he was with before he reports back to any more fire nation soldiers nearby." Suki was eyeing the rooftops cautiously as she said this. "They're bound to be nearby. They wouldn't abandon their prince, even a banished one."

Oh how right she was.

xxx

When I see people say "the fandom is dead", I'm screaming at my computer "THE HELL IT IS" and waking up people in the house while I roam around in the night to chill and write this, much faster, to prove the point that it is fucking ALIVE like Frankenstein's Monster baby!

Hell I know this isn't the BEST Jetko fic but we are still alive, and we are still burning angry and wanting, so keep shipping my fellow crew mates. Blow those cannons and thrust your swords and keep shipping.

Also; FUN FACT: I am the youngest of my colleagues on the night shift, and they all laugh and jest because I don't join their minds in the gutter and I don't laugh at every double entendre. "Oh to be young and naive," they joke, and one guy thinks I don't get a lot of the sexual references and will chuckle and explain like the responsible adult he is. Well… guess whose drawing gay porn and writing smut while you laugh from across the room. HA. HA. HA. But I play along. Jokes on them.

Also- _also_ : holy shit that was a really long scene in the pool I hope you liked.

Also- _also_ - _also_ : don't worry, more is coming.


	3. Chapter 3 - Don't get lost

Hey there readers! So I'm not gonna' lie, I was pissed because I had written the third chapter, this very chapter… and it disappeared. I looked effing everywhere but nope, what I had written was GONE-GONE-GONE. In a grump, I put off re-doing it because I am petty that way, haha.

Just also thought I should advise – this **isn't** going to be **just** a 2-3 part special. Yes, now I know I said that it would be in the first chapter….. but I have realised that there is no way everything will fit into 3 measly chapters. It is turning into a monster fic, I have no control over this, the gods have spoken.

Edit: So you've all probably heard of Writers Block, but how about Writers Drought? Being blocked to me implies that there is a bunch of writing that just can't come out, well the drought is when I've got a plan but there isn't anything in the watering hole. I'm sorry if you have suffered by annual-long-intervals. Forgive me.

On with the show now– hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. APOLOGIES FOR SPELLING AND GRAMMAR MISTAKES. I will never learn. That's a lie, I will learn, I try I promise.

 **Warning** : Boy love. Jet and Zuko. Shonen-ai. YAOI.

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own the characters or the world, they're just my guilty pleasure.

ENJOY!

*x*

The bag over the head was weird –but at least they weren't parading him around as _Zuko_ , the banished fire-nation prince. No, he was something they wanted to keep secret, which meant that they probably knew who he was… or they had no idea at all and just didn't want to disturb the market.

Whoever they were, they had walked him into a tiny quiet building somewhere down many twists and turns. He tried to keep track in his mind about how many lefts and rights were taken, but in the end it was hopeless. It felt a little intentional.

The sound of the festivities were muffled by the enclosed area, and the vegetable-sack was only removed from Zuko's head once he had been thoroughly tied to a chair. He shook his head to clear the hair from his eyes –this long mop was becoming an inconvenience. Three identically dressed and painted women stood before him –and they all glowered. He would recognise that face paint anywhere; the origin still a mar on his pride from earlier in the year on that damn island, where a tribe of fan-wielding young women drove a fire nation warship and it's soldiers back into the sea –and yes, it was a small war ship, admittedly, but still an impressive feat. But one question was what the hell were they doing way out here, on the main land, away from their precious island, and getting in the way of Zuko's business?

One of them looked to each of her companions. "Go and find what's taking Su-mi so long, I've got this."

"Are you sure, Suki?" One asked, and Suki nodded. The girls left, and the remaining girl re-placed the blockade in front of the door. It was really a sketchy looking place they had him tied up –in the back-burners of the town. Zuko gathered as much information of the layout as he could from his dimly-lit vantage point almost in the centre of the room. The floorboards creaked with each step the painted woman took, adding to the clues about the age and isolation of the building. It smelled damp and a little sour; and the room was practically empty. The only furnishings appeared to be two chairs –albeit rickety and unkempt with their splinters and unsteady nature. Zuko wondered why even bother trying him to one, it might break apart if he moved even slightly to one side or the other. But no, he needed to ignore the splinters biting into his bare wrists. He needed to assess the situation. All in all; a tiny room with two doors and a window, and it sounded so old and unkempt that he could probably punch a hole through the rotting wall.

It was dark in the tiny room. The only light came from a hole in the boarded up window –the _only_ window. The beam of light split the room in two, and the painted woman dragged a chair and sat opposite Zuko. She was far enough away to be safe, in case he tried any _tricks_.

"You're going to answer my questions. Any funny business, and you'll regret it." She warned. Zuko glared back at her in irritation at first, but then he settled for begrudgingly gritting hit teeth. He was at war with himself –part of him wanted to do ultimate battle and damage, fighting his way out of here, but the other part knew she was friends with the Avatar, and may be able to assist him in his quest. Although, judging by her attitude, help was a far cry from what he could expect so readily. Even if he did escape, he had seen how these girls work. They would only hunt him down, and he wouldn't have time to find Jet. Also, they had taken his weapons and the pathetically small number of items he had, such as the rolled up map the Kiyoshi Warrior currently flaunted before him, like it was incriminating evidence.

Zuko eyed the map, and then her stern featured. " _Alright_." He said –controlling his breathing. He was going to co-operate, even though giving in went strongly against his nature. He was already feeling a little sick of it; being so helpless these days.

Suki noticeably cocked an eyebrow at his compliance. "What are you doing here?" She almost spat venom at him.

Zuko locked eyes with her. "I was… procuring some supplies." He said carefully, almost wincing at the map.

Suki's eyebrow remained arched and judgmental. "Oh really? I see. Getting a lay of this land and all its vulnerable towns? For your fire nation soldiers? Where are they? Nearby?" She growled. Her eyes were narrowed, daring the fire-bending to answer with lies.

Zuko leant forward in his restraints, the chair giving an audible creak: "I don't _have_ any _soldiers_ … I'm not exactly on speaking terms with my nation. I was stripped of even my crew in the North Pole by a tyrant of the name Xhao." He said, rather bitterly. He was trying to stress that he was _alone_ , so _very_ much alone. No fire-benders. No fire-nation. No harm.

Suki raised her chin, speculating and accusing him all at once: "You're still hunting the Avatar, aren't you?" Her glower deepened and she held up the tiny parchment of his original shitty map, and in the other hand she clenched the scroll of the map he had planned to steal.

Zuko's eye flickered to both very briefly before meeting her eyes again: "It's not _like_ _that_ anymore," He raised his voice and then grit his teeth, watching Suki's expression sour. He carried on. "I need… to… _find_ him… to _teach_ him fire-bending. I need to get to him... before… before anyone else does." He tried to sound resolute, but even it still sounded weird to him, and he struggled to find his words for some reason. How could he make this sound convincing? It just sounded so bad right now.

Suki's face dropped into bitter astonishment. "You actually expect me to believe you? After everything you've done to Aang, and Sokka and Katara… after everything you've done to my friends and my home and my nation…. You want me to believe that you are just looking to say sorry and teach Aang fire bending? What the hell made you have a change of heart?" Her tone was set in stone and Zuko felt like wincing. It was pointless answering her last question, it was clearly rhetorical. He really was trying to convince her, though, hence the small snippet of truth about Xhao.

It wasn't working, because Suki threw the maps to the side and resumed her seating position, upright and ready to beat his ass. Her immediate chilled attitude was only thanks to her training, and she resisted slapping the fire-bender before her for more information. "Where is your spy? Did he go to tell your soldiers about the festival? You should know that this town is under the protection of Kiyoshi Warriors, and we will not lose. We have reinforcements from Ba Sing Se arriving every day."

Zuko felt a flitter of panic in his chest at the thought of Jet, and wherever the hell he was: "I told you already that I don't have any soldiers! And my _friend_ , isn't a spy. He's not fire nation. He's… he-" Zuko stopped himself. He was getting too worked up and his chest felt like it was going to expand and explode. Jet might not know that Zuko is being held _hostage_ , about to be handed over to Earth Nation authorities –otherwise he would have busted in here already, hook swords in hand. Zuko had only made one promise to Jet– not to leave his sight. Jet doesn't know where he is. What if he thinks the worst; that Zuko has fled for one reason or another? The fire-bender had to snap himself out of those thoughts and actually shook his head to concentrate. Jet shouldn't jump to that self-destructive conclusion. Not after what they've been through. At least, he better fucking not. The panic attack subsided in the awkward silence, and he soon felt his cheeks burning. That's right, Jet wasn't just a friend.

Suki snorted. "You have a _friend_?" It was expressed dryly and with as much conviction as all her other questions.

Zuko grit his teeth for a moment. Jet was someone he loved, who would be in much more danger than anyone else if the Fire Lord got in control. He got a stomach churning chill at the thought of it. "Just… _trust me_. I'm not looking to hunt Aang for any other reason than to train him-"

Suki blinked at him and interrupted. "Did I just hear you say `Trust me`? Do I look like a fool?" She asked. "After Ba Sing Se fell, a lot of refugees turned up here, and lots of them are still struggling to survive here. If I trust you, then they are all as good as dead. I'm handing you into the Earth-Nation authorities." She said, matter-of-factly.

Zuko met her glare. "If I don't find Aang, and train him in fire bending, then they are as good as dead anyway. There are things a lot worse than me and my journey that the Earth-Nation have to worry about. And if it's any consolation, I had nothing to do with Ba Sing Se. The city was taken by Azula. And trust me when I say this –you do _not_ want her finding Aang before I do. She _will_ kill him." He said.

This seemed to finally strike a bone in Suki and her perception visible shifted. It was like she was remembering something, and she was seriously looking Zuko up and down for a moment.

Suki touched a hand to her chin, and finally averted her pressuring gaze to the floor in thought. Zuko felt like he could breathe again. She looked pained now, and glanced up to look at the fire bender. "Ok… Let's say that I can fathom you having a change of heart… but; see this from _my_ perspective. Need I give examples of how your story would be hard to comprehend?" She asked. Zuko slouched; boy did he understand.

"You have to give me something." Suki said, thin lipped. The fire-bender glanced at her face again. She was…. She was giving him a chance. He took a few moments of silence to try and better get his story straight. "I was in the city when it happened. I, too, had fled there for….reasons. Even though only months before hand, I was desperate to find him… I had actually given up on the Avatar by this point… I was tired after so many defeats… and wanted a simple life in the safest place imaginable. You want to know the reason I need to help the Avatar?" He asked quietly. Suki nodded once, waiting for his answer.

Zuko let out a breath. "I have things I want to protect… I have… _people_ … that I want to protect. And with my entire nation laying siege to the only safe places left, I have to help make the world safe again. And that means I have to find the Avatar and I have to help him. I know I'm the only one who can."

It was silent several minutes after he stopped talking. Suki wasn't giving anything away on her face, he had no idea what she was thinking, and then she spoke with a heavy heart. "I have seen what your sister can do." Suki said. "I was in Ba Sing Se up until the attack. Aang had inspired us to leave our island and make a change to the world too… so the Kiyoshi warriors and I travelled to where help was needed the most. Many of my friends were still trapped in the city when I fell during battle… and when I woke up I found that a few of my warriors had escaped and taken me with them. I continued to protect who I could...But… It broke me, leaving them behind." Her fists tightened, and she clenched her jaw for a moment to compose herself. "I know what it means to want to fight, to want to protect. And… I know it when I see it. My duty as a Kiyoshi Warrior is to serve and protect… and my judgement cannot fail and put others at stake," She said, and relaxed her tense hands and revealed Zuko's dual swords, standing and drawing them apart. Again, it was impossible to read if she was going to untie him, or cut him up, her mood was so intense it could have gone either way. She stood. "However…I also understand… that people have a change of heart,"

Suddenly, the door and its pathetic barricade splintered to pieces and a body tumbled in. It was a Kiyoshi warrior, and she coughed upon landing hard. Suki dropped the swords and whipped around to see three large figures in the doorway. "Su-Mi!" She cried, and the girl weakly began to gather herself and move towards Suki.

Focused on the door, Suki snarled. "You there, who are you?!" She demanded of the strangers.

An Earth-Nation soldier stumbled in, red-faced and bleary eyed. "Saw you little girls playing soldier with someone… suspicious…" The drunken eyes fell onto Zuko, who unconsciously swallowed at being pinned with the gaze. Suki suddenly stepped in front to block their line of sight. "Your business is with me then, I presume." The Warrior snapped her fans open, and received an expected bout of laughter from the three men. "Hey little girl, we're soldiers, and if that there is the fella' you snagged during that ruckus in town, then hand him over to us. He stepped on my damn face." The man growled, his words slurring. The three of them had been enjoying way too much booze at the event.

Suki eyed them up and down. "You're not fit to do anything, soldier." She took a commanding tone, which confused the three men in their drunken state. The questions were clear on their face, like dogs who felt as though the command should be followed. Was she supposed to give orders? Could she even do that? She looked kind of serious… but she was just a _girl_. No way could she actually be giving them orders. "Excuse me…?" The second soldier growled, and barged forward, finger pointing. "I better arrest _you_ before you say something stupid and get into some _real_ trouble, kid!" He was not so intoxicated, but drunk enough to be sluggish in comparison to an agile Kiyoshi Warrior –who promptly grabbed his prodding finger and twisted his arm, turning him around and kicking him back the way he came. The man was confused by the direction he was now facing, and his arm hurt an awful lot too.

"None of you are suitable for your positions. You attacked a Kiyoshi Warrior and are imposing authority to a situation you are not fit to reasonably handle. If you engage, I will be forced to defend myself." Suki was a force to be reckoned with right now. Her friend managed to get to her feet and draw her fans as well. She spoke to her friend next. "Su-Mi, where are the others?" She asked. The girl shook her head. "I don't know. These three chased me down before I could get any real help, and there were more behind them but they're not here yet…"

The girl looked back toward Zuko, the cause of all this fuss. He was still bound to the chair, but was eyeing up his broad swords; he didn't seem to look terribly nervous. He had also noticed his items were in a pathetic pile in the corner next to the door. Getting them and then getting out of here was going to be troublesome. Already he had begun trying to work the knots from his bindings, but not with much success. The Warriors had done a good job. The first man barked a bitter laugh. "I ain't ever heard of no ky-what-ever warrior, but whatever the case, they don't have any authority in this town." He snarled. Suki resisted the urge to roll her eyes; upon arrival in the town, it had been made public knowledge that the Kiyoshi Warriors were going to assist the community, but clearly these men were going to think otherwise regardless.

There was tension in the room again until the three men charged; a little out of sync; and one was so inebriated it looked like he forgot where he was and what he was supposed to be doing for a moment, but ran into a fight regardless.

Suki's movements were controlled and she disarmed the first two men she encountered in under half a minute; but they were persistent and unclean in their actions. One would think a stumbling idiot would be easy to floor, but somehow they were in an alcohol-fuelled frenzy and managed to scramble back onto their feet as quickly as they were knocked down.

The third; almost lost soldier charged Zuko, tackling him. But Zuko kicked out his feet and hit the man in the stomach. The force of the assault had the chair flying backwards and though the fire bender winced at the pain of landing on his arms –with the added weight of the large man –the chair splintered to pieces and the ropes no longer restrained him. He was still tied up, though, and managed a backwards roll after kicking off the third soldier who had knocked himself out. He paused to assess in a crouched position; and took to the opening in the cramped and confusing fight to roll across the room and grab his swords. He went to manoeuvre his wrist to cut part of the binding but felt a sharp pain shoot through his arm and he dropped one sword. What the hell was that? He tried picking up the sword with that arm but couldn't manage it, and grabbed it with his other busy hand.

He then rolled into the corner with all his belongings when a soldier stumbled back and nearly landed on him. Suki spotted Zuko rolling around the floor with his weapons, but the man who was fighting her friend had gained the upper hand; Su-Mi had sprained her ankle earlier and it crippled her for a moment and she was struck down; unconscious. The man she fought was about to deliver a fatal blow, but Zuko dropped his sword, darted and jumped; bringing both his heels to strike the soldier in the chest. The flying kick made the soldier land in the street and strike the wall opposite the house; and then fall comatose; not dead but not waking up any time soon either.

Zuko had landed hard on his arm again and struggled to stand. He paused when he looked up and found around six to ten other soldiers rushing by at the end of the narrow. The last few soldiers noticed him and scrambled to a stop, pointing and declaring something; but it was in another drunk slur. "Who goes there?" They sort of eventually managed. Zuko flinched when Suki grabbed his shoulder. "Are no soldiers in this damn town sober?" She growled.

Suddenly the men at the end of the narrow started howling and pointing and corralling the other soldiers who had gone too far ahead. Suki sighed and yanked Zuko back inside. There was no door to close to buy them time. Suki scooped up her friend and placed her over her shoulders. "This leads out into another street, let's hope there's nobody waiting," She said, destroying the planks of wood which barred the window with one single strike of her foot. "Just one thing… _no fire bending._ They might not know who you are, but don't give them any reason to execute you. You're scar is enough to give you away under the right circumstances. Understand?" Suki was telling him, not asking him.

Zuko nodded and didn't ask questions or hesitate; scrambling out of the window after the young woman. He followed her step for step but her unconscious friend was slowing them down. Two soldiers stumbled out of a side alley and Suki skittered to a stop and ducked as they swung their weapons. Zuko jumped over Suki and delivered a heavy kick, and used his momentum to step off the first man and knee the second guy in the face.

Suki lead him down another narrow where they barely avoided two other sets of soldiers. The maze of empty huts on the outskirts of this large, mountain-pass town were strange and a little spooky. Zuko might have found himself asking why they were all empty, had he not been running for his life. Unfortunately, they encountered a blockade of old wagons just taking up the thin alley. Suki spared no time in jumping up and then scrambling awkwardly onto the roof, all the while ensuring she didn't bang her friends head. Zuko leapt up, but he wasn't fast enough, and someone grabbed him by the leg. He fell hard into a wagon and had to immediately roll to one side to avoid being skewered. He kicked up, knocking the soldier in the chin and they fall away. Another soldier narrowly missed stabbing him in the shoulder as Zuko rolled to the other side of the wagon. Zuko blinked when something hit the soldiers head and he fell away too, and he looked up to see Suki had pelted him in the helmet with a roof tile.

She had to dive down and lay flat as an arrow flew past where her head had been. Zuko jostled himself quickly backwards and the arrow landed between his legs. He stared at it for a moment, horrified, and then he flinched when a hand grabbed at his leg again. "C'mere you!" The guy he kicked in the chin was looking furious, and the guy who had taken the roof tile to the head was also grabbing at him. He didn't get the opportunity to kick in defence as they dragged him out of the wagon and onto the ground –his swords ripped from his only good hand. He grunted at the impact as his arms remained tied behind his back, breaking his fall. Pain burned and pinched along his arm, and he knew what a broken bone felt like. He was punched in the gut once and kicked in the face, and then in the dull light of the alleyway, someone jumped over him and took out his attackers. He had been paralysed by the pain in his arm, winded by the strike to his stomach, and blinded momentarily but the kick to the face, so he couldn't be sure what was going on right now.

"I leave you alone for half an hour," A voice said in a huff. Zuko peered up, bleary-eyed and possibly concussed, seeing nothing but stars. Strong arms shuffled under his shoulders to sit him up; he blinked a few times to focus. Jet was huffing hard; his expression was mostly relief, but there were a few other emotions storming. "Jet," Zuko wheezed, feeling some blood dribble down his chin. Shit, the inside of his cheek was split and it stung like a fucker, but he almost didn't notice it compared to the blinding pain in his arm. " _Arm_!" He urged. They were un-done and he achingly tried to move it, gritting his teeth in a daze. He was definitely concussed, and he couldn't deal with the broken bone in this state, or the fact that he was seeing so many stars he couldn't see Jets face properly.

A ringing in his ear settled in and muted out the world and his eyes closed involuntarily; but he could feel himself being hefted up and moved. It was a little bit of Deja-vu if he was honest. He knew he might have fought the concussion a little harder had he been alone. And though Jet was a comforting sound and smell… the fact that Zuko just allowed the injuries to take hold of him and be protected… the submission scared him awake and he stirred with a panic. He was disoriented now; in a place he didn't know. He sat up, leant on his broken arm, and landed with a thump when the pain finally bit into his senses. The ringing in his ears returned when the agony shot through his arm; and every time he blinked he found himself back in the North Pole, after Xhao tried to fucking blow him up, and the ringing that plagued his senses for months. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to tense his bandaged arm. Counting and controlling his breathing were all he could do, but he was thinking it was a miracle he remembered to do even that. His discomfort didn't subside by much, but he came around enough to sense a presence. He didn't feel in danger, though, and immediately relaxed when a deep whisper penetrated the ringing. "Hey… hey… it's ok, you're safe,"

Jet whispered, gently touching Zuko's bare shoulder. He had been startled away by the panicked huffing and the thump the fire bender was making in the dark. Zuko was also groaning very quietly to the point it was almost a wheeze. Jet had been sitting and guarding for most of the evening, and now it was nearly midnight. Zuko rolled slowly onto his back, still bleary eyed. "Jet?" He was more asking where Jet was, rather than who was speaking.

"Yeah, I'm here," Jet whispered again and slowly and carefully spooned right up against Zuko, gently placing a hand on the bandages around the broken arm. "It looks like you've got no broken bones but don't push it, and your neck and face are a little swollen, so don't move around, ok?" He breathed; his words a deep and soothing murmur as he grazed light little circled up Zuko's exposed forearm. Zuko let out a long, relieved breath himself and nodded a little, not saying anything. His voice was raspy and everything hurt up the back of his head. Jet nuzzled gently into the crook of the pale neck and huffed. "There is some medicine that the painted girls brought us," He said and Zuko felt a moment of cold as Jet moved away, vaguely wondering why the hell he wasn't wearing any damn clothes on his upper body. He found the energy to sit up and felt all his muscles tense; he hissed as he moved.

The medicine was bitter and made Zuko's lips numb almost immediately. He made a sour expression but didn't feel the pull of the split inside his mouth. He didn't complain verbally, though, and he finished the whole damn bowl. Jet let out a dry snicker. "Tastes that good, huh?" He tried a grin, but couldn't manage it. There was a single candle –small but alight, and in the glow it cast, he could see the swelling on Zuko's face. It wasn't horrendous but it was noticeable, and the scar tissue on his cheek and eye looked uncomfortable. He reached out to touch Zuko in some way, resting his hand on his thigh. Berating himself couldn't change what had happened, but he cursed at how he hadn't noticed Zuko was missing immediately –he was too caught up in moving that even just twenty seconds later, he turned and Zuko was gone and the crowds were too heavy to see where he could have been taken. There had been too many damn mysterious figures wearing indistinguishable cloaks and robes –all of which he grabbed and yanked the hood down on and then moved on.

He took to stalking the roof tops where he could, getting more and more nervous and then he saw a young painted woman – Su-Mi –racing through the back alleys with staggering drunks in tow. At first he thought that it might have been just some soldiers looking for some woman to torment, and saving a damsel in distress was _not_ on his list, because he was too distressed himself. What the hell was even happening right now, and why? This could have all been avoided. It was so stupid, the plan to steal the map.

Jet could have probably just sweet talked it away, but Zuko was impulsive –a trait he was finding hard to admire right now. Zuko said something that took Jet several moments to translate and it was a notification that his mouth was numb and he was feeling dizzy.

Zuko squeezed his eyes shut as he lay down again, and when he opened them, he found Jet's face right in front of him – or at least the blurry outline of it. Jet touched his forehead to the bandage that wrapped around Zuko's head. "Zuko… we are never following your plans again if it winds up in a mess like this," He said bluntly.

Erm... so yeah I'm ashamed that it took a while to upload this. I was re-writing some other fan-fics I have up on here already and time escapes me. So we will be moving onward at a slow -and apparently annual- pace with this. I want to include as much as I can for everyone to enjoy too, so hang tight while I dig deep into my pockets for UMPH and inspiration!

Thanks for reading : D


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